Too often, we read without comprehension. Let’s take the headline of this piece and break it down. A ‘state’ is a condition someone or something is in at a specific time, a ‘nation’ is a large body of people united by common descent, history, culture or language who inhabit a particular country or territory, and an ‘address’ is a formal speech.

The State of the Nation Address (SoNA) is admittedly no sauna. But, considering the state of the South Africa nation, maybe it is in need of a sauna, which, by definition, offers health benefits like detoxification, increased blood circulation, pain reduction, improved cardiovascular function, improved immune function, improved sleep, stress management and relaxation. No doubt, benefits that all South Africans are craving in these times of trouble.

What has become a defining feature of the SoNA is the inclusion of a poem – at the outset or at the end. The 2021 SoNA, delivered on February 11, is all of 6 798 words. If you choose to read it, doing so could take you just under 23 minutes, or just over 54 minutes, depending on how fast you read. An adult typically reads at about 300 words a minute when reading for enjoyment, with the speed slowing to 125 words a minute when more focus and attention to detail are required.

If you are a fast reader and you want to do other things instead of reading the SoNA, you should consider the suggestions on www.itstartswithcoffee.com – ‘25 things you can do in 20 minutes or less’ – which include vacuuming your house; mopping the floors; watching most of an episode of Friends; going for a one-mile walk (or a run); taking a power nap; writing a to-do list for the next day; calling your grandparents and spending time catching up with them; ordering flowers for your mom; backing up your computer; or updating your phone, computer or tablet.

Options for slow readers, found on www.appfluence.com – ‘30 things you can do in 45 minutes’ – include guided meditation; reading a book; taking a nap; going to the spa; getting out and enjoying nature; taking a nice, hot bubble bath; cooking; playing a board game; spending time with family; taking a walk; reading magazines; deleting those pesky and spammy emails; or relaxing.

If you want to spend an hour doing other things instead of reading the SoNA, suggestions on www.care.com – ‘101 activities to maximise a free hour’ – would be useful: tackle at least one thing (if not more) on your to-do list; try a new recipe; balance your cheque book; organise your office; get a massage; clean out the refrigerator; make a scrapbook; unplug your computer, hide your cellphone, turn off the television and just enjoy the silence; take a much-needed, well-deserved nap; take a hot bubble bath; call your parents or family; call a friend to catch up; go outside and take pictures of nature; update your CV; research something you have always wanted to learn more about on the Internet; take a trip down memory lane by watching old videos or looking through old albums; create a bucket list . . . then scratch something off it!; or play your child’s favourite video game – and beat their high score!

I am reminded of Joel Osteen’s words: “If you cannot be positive, then at least be quiet.” As I silently contemplated Osteen’s words and questioned the 23-odd minutes that I had spent reading the SoNA, Simon & Garfunkel’s The Sound of Silence reverberates in my mind: “And the vision that was planted in my brain, Still remains, Within the sound of silence.”

I too shall end with a poem, The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost: “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both, And be one traveller, long I stood, And looked down one as far as I could.”